Dredging-bucket



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Shed 1;

A. COLLINS. DRBDGING B-UGKET.

No, 572,651. Patented Dec. 8, 1896.

W. A. CQLLINS. DREDGING BUCKET.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

. (Y0 Model.) Q

,651. Patented Dec. 8.,- ;-1896.

WWW swan and has for its object the production of a UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IVILLIAM A. COLLINS, OF BAYONNE, NEIV JERSEY.

DREDGlNG-BUCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,651, dated December 8, 1896.

Application filed October 23, 1895- To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. COLLINS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bayonne, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dredging- Buckets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in dredging buckets,

bucket which will be more efficient and more easily and quickly operated than similar devices now in use, in which the strains are balanced and distributed, and which will be light, strong, and economical in construction and durable in use.

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, and said invention is fully disclosed in the following description and claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof and in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a front elevation. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged top view of one side of the central section or wearplate of the upper frame, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the bucket with fragments of the toggle arms or links and lower frame with the hoods or extensions omitted. Fig. 5 represents a horizontal section through the upper cross-bridge. Fig. 6 represents a similar section through the lower cross-bridge.

In constructing the bucket I make the sides in the form of quarters of a sphere, the centers of said spherical portions being eccentric to each other, the center of each portion being on the side of the vertical plane of division of the bucket opposite said portion, so that the lower meeting edges of the parts will come together at an acute angle, as shown.

In the drawings, a a represent the spherical side portions, each having the heads or ends I) I), through which they are pivoted to the lower or supporting cross-frame, as hereinafter'described, at or near their meeting edges, each of said ends being provided with Serial No. 566,578. (No model.)

the projecting wings or webs Z). The preferred construction of said lower frame or bridge is shown in Fig. 1, where it consists of the two preferably cast sections (1, bolted together, and each comprising the enlarged sockets d, in which the ends of the usual guide-poles are secured, and a front and a back plate, (the latter, not shown,) leaving an intervening space, in which and journaled in said back and front plates are the large sheaves or pulleys c. On the upper edge of said castings are the perforated lugs or eyes 6, and depending from the lower portion of said castings and at right angles thereto are the bifurcated lugs or ears 0, in which the bucket-segments are hinged through their ends I).

The upper cross bridge or frame consists of the three preferably cast sections,as shown; the two outer or end sections f, comprising the enlarged sockets or sleeves f, adapted to surround and slide upon the guide-poles, and a front and a back plate, (the latter not shown,) leaving an intervening space, in which and journaled in said back and front plates are the small sheaves or pulleys g, the bifurcated lugs or ears h, and the upper rings or eyes i. The said end sections f are united by the centrally-located offset wear-plates j, one of which is shown in Fig. 3, and journaled in each of the bifurcated lugs or earsrl are the arms or links 10, extending from said lugs to the outer ends of the wings or webs b on the ends I) of the bucket, to which their lower ends are suitably hinged or pivoted, the preferred means being illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4, and consists of a long rod or bolt Z, passing through the wings or webs I), through the ends of arms or links it, flanged or headed sleeves m, and the lug m, secured to the sides a of the bucket. The office of the sleeves m is not only to protect the rod or bolt Z, but the heads or flanges of said sleeves abutting against the lug m, and the levers 7c serve to keep and hold the latter in proper position and alinement. This arrangement may also obviously be used to advantage with the old style of bucket, consisting of two quartercylinder segments.

I have shown in Fig. 2 a simple device for increasing the capacity of the bucket and preventing the material with which it is filled from falling out. Said device consists of two hoods n of approximately the same contour as the upper portion of the bucket and adapted to pass partially within the same when the segments of the bucket are raised and opened and having projections 0. These hoods may be hinged or pivoted to the same pivots as the bucket, and are held in position by the chains 02, extending from the hoods to appropriate points on the lower cross frame or bridge. As the segments of the bucket are swung upwardly on their pivots, as hereinafter described, and to their open position they pass outside of the hoods at until they reach the projections 0, which are engaged by the ends I), and the hoods are then carried upwardly with the bucket-segments until the latter assume their most open position. As the bucket is closed and resumes the position shown in Fig. 2 the hoods drop with the segments until the length of the chains n is reached, when they are held by said chains and project above said bucket, as illustrated in said figure, thereby increasing the capacity of the bucket and preventing the loss of material.

The opening-chain is secured to the ringsi and passes back to a drum or other device. Upon winding in said chain the upper cross frame or bridge is raised away from the lower frame, thereby causing the arms or links to operate and swing the segments of the bucket upwardly on their pivots to their open position. This action is obviouslymuch facilitated and the leverage increased by the described arrangement of the arms or links 70 and hinging their lower ends to the projecting wings or webs Z) of the bucket. Moreover, it will also be obvious that by my invention the bucket is always lifted vertically, the pull being directly over the center of gravity and the parts being held in perfect alinement, thereby reducing the strain and wear on the guide-poles. The bucket is lowered in this open position and forced through the earth or other material to be dredged in the wellknown manner, and is then closed, scooping up and being filled with such material. The closing mechanism consists of a chain leading from a drum or other device and bifurcated at a point above the upper frame, each branch being then passed downwardly between the central wear-plates j, beneath the large sheaves or pulleys e in the lower cross bridge or frame, thence upwardly and over the small sheaves or pulleys g in the upper cross bridge or frame, and having their ends secured in the eyes or perforated lugs e on the lower bridge. The arrangement of the closing-chains is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and manifestly upon hauling on said chains the upper and the lower cross-frames will be drawn together, thus closing the bucket through the arms or links 7c. If said closingchains come in contact with the plates j and wear the same, new plates may from time to time be substituted without necessitating the renewal of the entire cross-frame, and by forming said cross frames or bridges hollow, or of back and front plates, as described, they are rendered stronger, lighter, and more durable than heretofore.

Changes and alterations may be made in all or any of the parts without departing from the principle and scope of my invention, and I do not desire to be confined to the specific construction, arrangement, and combinations hereinbefore set forth.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A bucket composed of two sections, each comprising a side and ends; each side being approximately a section of a sphere in contour, and each end having projecting wings or webs, substantially as described.

2. A sectional cross -frame composed of back and front plates, the outer sections being formed with sockets, substantially as described.

3. Asectional cross-frame composed of parallel plates, the outer sections being formed with sockets and the central section comprising offset wear-plates, substantially as described.

4:. A sectional cross-frame composed of back and front plates, the outer sections being formed with sockets, and sheaves journaled between said plates, substantially as described.

5. A bucket composed of two sections each comprising a side and ends, and each side being approximately a section of a sphere in contour; in combination with an upper and a lower sectional cross frame or bridge composed of back and front plates; the outer sections of said frames being formed with sockets, sheaves journaled between said plates; arms or links connecting each side of the bucket to the upper cross-frame, and means for opening and closing said bucket, substantially as described.

6. An upper and a lower cross-frame composed of back and front plates and formed,

with end, pole, sockets and guides; in combination with small sheaves journaled in the upper, and large sheaves journaled in the lower frame, and a bifurcated chain attached to the lower frame and passing around each of said sheaves, substantially as described.

7. In dredging mechanism, an upper and a lower cross frame or bridge, each composed of parallel sides or plates; a two-part bucket journaled in lugs on the lower cross-frame, and arms or links j ournaled in lugs on the upper frame and to the bucket, and means for opening and closing said buckets, substaln tially as described.

8. In dredging mechanism, an upper and a lower cross frame or bridge, each composed of parallel sides or plates; a two-part bucket journaled in bifurcated lugs depending from the lower cross-frame, and arms or levers journaled in bifurcated lugs on the upper frame, and in projecting wings or webs on said bucket; and means for moving the upper and lower frames toward and from each other, substantially as described.

9. An upper cross-frame, comprising a series of back and front plates, and offset central and removable wear-plates or sections; in combination with a lower cross-frame, and a twopart bucket pivoted therein and connected to the upper frame by arms or links, substantially as described.

10. A two-part bucket pivoted in a frame; an independently-movable hood for each part of said bucket adapted to project above the same when the bucket is closed, and attached to said frame by pivots and chains, substantially as described.

11. A two-part bucket pivoted in a frame; an independently-movable hood for each part of said bucket adapted to project above the same when the bucket is closed, and to pass partially within the same when the bucket is opened; said hoods being attached to said frame by pivots and chains, substantially as described.

12. A cross-frame composed of a suitable number of sections, comprising back and front plates, outer sockets, and internal lugs adjacent thereto; in combination with a twopart bucket pivoted in said lugs; an upper cross-bridge; arms or links connecting said bucket to said upper bridge, and means for moving said frames toward and from each other, substantially as described.

13. An upper and a lower cross-frame; a two-part bucket pivoted in the latter and comprising sides and ends, said ends having projecting wings or Webs; arms or links hinged or pivoted in said wings or webs, and in lugs on the upper frame, substantially as described.

14. A bucket composed of two sections, each comprising a side and ends, and each sidebeing approximately a section of a sphere in contour; in combination with an upper and a lower cross frame or bridge each com- 5 posed of back and front plates and containing sheaves; a bifurcated chain attached to one of said cross-frames and passing around the sheaves in both a separate chain attached to the upper frame, and connecting arms or links, substantially as described.

15. A two-part bucket, each part comprising a side having a lug or eye, and ends; in combination with an upper and a lower crossframe, and arms or links connecting each part of said bucket to the upper frame; a rod or bolt passing through said arms and eyes, and sleeves surrounding said rod and located between said eyes and said arms for protecting said bolts and holding said arms in position, substantially as and for the purposes described.

16. An upper and a lower cross-frame; a

two-part bucket pivoted in the latter and comprising sides each having a central lug, and ends having projecting wings or webs; arms or links j ournaled in lugs on the upper frame, and hinged or pivoted to said wings or webs by a rod or bolt passing through said wings, arms or links and central lug; and headed or flanged sleeves adapted to surround said rod or bolt and hold the arms or levers in alinement, substantially as described.

17. A lower cross-frame composed of the plates d, sockets cl, lugs c, and eyes e, and carrying the sheaves e; an upper cross-frame composed of the plates f, and j; sleeves f, lugs h and rings 1', and carrying the sheaves g, in combination with the bucket or, b, b and arms or links 7c, all combined and arranged to operate, substantially as described.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 21st day of October, A. D. 1895.

W'ILLIAM A. COLLINS.

Witnesses:

HENRY I-I. PETZE,. G. SWIFT. 

